


Sleepless in Shinjuku

by Fluffypanda



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol, Business Trip, Drinking, Established Relationship, Fluff, Japan, Japanese Culture, Language Barrier, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:28:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22095649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffypanda/pseuds/Fluffypanda
Summary: Steve and Tony head to Japan for business and pleasure, but Steve is a little troubled by the language barrier.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 11
Kudos: 92
Collections: POTS (18+) Stony Stocking 2019





	Sleepless in Shinjuku

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MountainRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MountainRose/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [MountainRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MountainRose/pseuds/MountainRose) in the [stony_stocking_2019](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/stony_stocking_2019) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Going on one of Tony's business trips together to [Asian country of your choice] and Steve feels really bad that he can't understand the language, so he stays up all night learning the 500.most common words. Tony is worried he was kept awake by nightmares, but then delighted by Steve being able to talk to whoever he wants. 
> 
> Do not want:  
> Sexual content, Miscommunication, MCD, playlists/songfic
> 
> Thank you, Arcade for the beta!

“I’ve got about a thousand factory tours, meetings, and drinking parties on the docket, but–” Tony said, before realizing Steve wasn’t following him into the hotel.

Tony turned back to see Steve about ten steps back trying, politely, to argue with the hotel staff over their suitcases. The staff member said something Tony couldn’t hear while bowing furiously. Steve frowned, clearly unable to understand what she said.

“No, no, I can take them. I’m very strong, see?” Steve carefully enunciated every word and lifted the suitcase to show how effortless it was for him, before apparently realizing he looked like an idiot and putting it down.

“ _ Sorry for my husband, he’s very stubborn _ ,” Tony said to the staff member as he marched back to grab Steve’s hand. “Sweetheart? Every minute we spend out here is one less we spend in our very luxurious private bath washing each others’ backs. Let the poor woman do her job.”

* * *

By the time Tony finally stumbled back into their suite, glad to finally be done with the goddamn nomikai, it was already around one in the morning. That damn Harada was a persistent negotiator, always getting his OLs to flirt with Tony and fill his cup when he wasn’t looking. Tony was a bit offended that he thought he could soften Tony up with alcohol and women, he was a married man after all. What a waste of good employees.

Mizuno, especially, seemed rather bright, but Harada didn’t seem to notice what he had, putting her on drink pouring duty like that. Harada barely let her speak, but her English was better than his and she was the only one that seemed to remember Tony spoke Japanese. From the few words they exchanged Tony could tell she had a good grasp on the current landscape for green energy. She might have been worth headhunting.

Tony loosened his tie and tossed it aside with a frown. The lights in the living room were still on and Steve was curled up on the couch with his tablet on his lap.

“Not in bed?” Tony asked.

Steve looked around as if astonished at the time and shrugged. “Oh, uh, I guess not. The time zones must be throwing me off.”

Tony made a beeline for the bedroom, yawning. “Jet lag’s a bitch. Come on, I’m ‘bout ready to drop.”

“I had a nap earlier. You head to bed without me, I’ll join you later.”

* * *

The next morning Tony woke to find the other side of his bed cold and the blankets largely undisturbed. Concern pulled him out from beneath the covers to look for his husband. The serum meant that Steve needed significantly less sleep than average, but Tony couldn’t remember the last time Steve didn’t at least join him in bed given ample opportunity.

“Morning,” greeted Tony as he walked into the living room with a stretch and a yawn. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Steve for any signs of a bad night.

Steve blinked dazedly before returning a  _ good morning _ to him. He still had his tablet in his lap.

Tony scrunched his nose, not certain what to make of it. He hoped that if Steve were having nightmares again he’d talk to Tony about it, but given how tired Tony had been last night and how busy their schedule this trip was, he could easily see Steve deciding to keep quiet about it.

“I know we planned to do the tourist bit, but I’ve got about–” Tony glanced at the clock “–five hours before the next factory tour, what do you say, we order some room service and hole up here until Pepper’s crony comes to drag me away?”

Steve put his tablet aside to come inspect Tony with clear concern on his face. “Are you that tired? Is it a hangover?”

“Are you kidding? Last night was nothing compared to our bachelor party.”

“When you tried to out-drink Thor?” Steve quirked a smile. “Well, you don’t seem in as bad a shape as back then. I can go out exploring by myself, if you wanted to get a bit more rest.”

Tony sighed and leaned in to rest his forehead on Steve’s shoulder. It looked like he was worried over nothing. “Give me ten minutes. I’m getting dressed.”

Steve laughed and ruffled Tony’s hair. “So, you mean you’ll be ready in half an hour?”

“Ten minutes,” Tony said firmly.

* * *

Forty minutes later they were on the Ginza line headed to Asakusa. The train was reasonably crowded despite it being well past the morning rush and they had to stick close to each other in order to not be separated. Tony would have rather taken the car, but he couldn’t exactly complain about being pressed up against Steve’s chest for the better part of a train ride.

Steve’s mood had brightened considerably since they left the hotel and he practically bounced off the train and out of the station. Tony couldn’t help but smile too as Steve lead him through the huge red gate waiting for them outside. Tony had to push him along when he stopped to gape at the enormous lantern hanging just barely above their heads. Two long rows of shops, bustling with people, laid inside the temple. It wasn’t long before Steve pulled aside to take a closer look at one.

“ _ How much _ ?” Steve asked in slightly accented Japanese, pointing to a snack on display.

The shopkeeper replied, “ _ Agemanjuu are three hundred yen. _ ”

“ _ Five please. _ ” Steve dug around in his pocket for the change and pulled out three five hundred yen coins.

“ _ Yes, I’ve received exact change. Here are your agemanjuu, I added an extra as a service. _ ”

Steve turned around, triumphantly holding his bag of _agemanjuu_ up for Tony to see.

Tony laughed, absolutely delighted. “You learned Japanese overnight?”

“Only about 500 of the most common words.” Steve shrugged and took Tony’s hand, pulling him along the street to the main part of the temple.

Tony only shook his head, grinning. Sometimes he couldn’t believe he got to marry this man. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

“Well, I’ve got to keep up with you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Because I'm a huge nerd, the other name for this fic is 夫はがんばって、一晩で日本語習いました！(Otto Wa Ganbatte, Hitoban De Ninhongo Naraimashita!)


End file.
